Shannon Levine, BSS Cello Instructor
Why practice scales?
Your teacher probably has many reasons for you to practice scales. Here are some of mine, in no particular order:
-Tone: develop a full, rich, consistent sound over a range of pitches
-Intonation: be able to play in tune in many different keys
-Ear training: know when you’re in tune
-Dexterity: create muscle memory for different finger patterns
-Shifting: be able to shift accurately to many positions
-Facility/Velocity: practice playing very quickly on a familiar set of notes
-Articulation: practice bow strokes and patterns repeatedly
-Fingerboard mapping: know where the notes are on the fingerboard
